Black Ice
by Pikafuey
Summary: Rated T just in case-for mild gore and darker themes. Full summary inside.
1. Summary & Allegiances

**A/N:** Hey guys, Pika here! You may have read my other 'fics, _Overshadowed_ and _Stray_-but this is my newest work, _Black Ice_. And unlike my other two 'fics, this centers around a lone she-cat, who finds herself stranded in the wilderness alone. This 'fic is geared towards the bonds of family, more than anything. I really hope you guys enjoy it! :)

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><p><em>Fireblaze, a proud warrior of OakClan, seems to have a perfect life. She lives peacefully within her Clan, alongside the mountains above. Her mate, Windsong, is a well-respected warrior. However, a large quake sends the Clans into chaos-soot-like snow spilling into the sky above. In a desperate attempt to escape the territory, Fireblaze becomes separated from her Clan-lost in unfamiliar lands. All alone, the young warrior must find her Clan-before she falls prey to the mountains she once called home.<em>

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><p><span><strong>OakClan<strong>

**Leader:** Heatherstar- Cream colored tabby she-cat with brown eyes.

**Deputy:** Volepelt- Dark brown tom with a white chest tuft. Has green eyes.

Apprentice: Redpaw

**Medicine Cat: **Stormfall- Dark gray tom with white paws. Has blue eyes.

Apprentice: Dewpaw

**Warriors:**

Fireblaze- Long-haired golden tabby she-cat with white paws. Has dark blue eyes.

Silvereye- Black tom with one blind eye that has a silver tint.

Apprentice: Hazelpaw

Windsong- Light brown-and-white tabby tom with golden eyes.

Jaywing- Blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes.

Apprentice: Adderpaw

Russettclaw- Reddish brown tom with brown eyes.

Apprentice: Rainpaw

Grayfeather- Gray she-cat with white paws. Has green eyes.

Apprentice: Icepaw

Mouseleap- Black-and-white she-cat with silver eyes.

Birchfur- Brown tabby tom with hazel eyes.

**Apprentices:**

Redpaw- Reddish brown-and-white she-cat with blue eyes.

Dewpaw- Gray-and-white tom with green eyes.

Icepaw- White she-cat with golden eyes.

Rainpaw- Dark gray tabby tom with brown eyes.

Hazelpaw- Cream furred she-cat with silver eyes.

Adderpaw- Brown-and-white tom with dark blue eyes.

**Queens**

Shadowmist- Dark gray she-cat with a white chest. Has yellow eyes. (Mate to Russettclaw. Mother to Robinkit, Lilykit, and Darkkit)

Cinderfall- Dark gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes. (Mate to Birchfur. Mother to Barkkit and Skykit)

Snowleaf- Long-haired white she-cat with green eyes. (Mate to Volepelt. Mother to Hailkit and Shrewkit)

Rosefur- Light brown she-cat with hazel eyes. (Mate to Silvereye. Mother to Owlkit)

**Elders**

Timberclaw- Dark brown tom with gray eyes.

Willowwhisker- Fluffy black she-cat with yellow eyes.

Leaffall- Tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with green eyes.

Birdflight- Gray she-cat with hazel eyes.

Badgerfur- Black-and-white tom with blue eyes.

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><p><span><strong>PineClan<strong>

**Leader:** Shadowstar- Black tom with a white chest. Has dark blue eyes.

**Deputy:** Rowantail- Dark brown she-cat with white paws. Has green eyes.

**Medicine Cat:** Fernwhisker- Brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Apprentice: Whitepaw

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><p><span><strong>ReedClan<strong>

**Leader:** Dovestar- Light gray tabby she-cat with silver eyes.

**Deputy: **Stonepelt- Dark gray tom with yellow eyes.

**Medicine Cat:** Gorsefur- Golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Apprentice: Featherpaw

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><p><span><strong>MoorClan<strong>

**Leader:** Lionstar- Orange tabby tom with green eyes.

**Deputy:** Seedfur- Gray tabby tom with blue eyes.

**Medicine Cat:** Streamheart- Blue-gray tabby tom with brown eyes.

Apprentice: Silverpaw

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><p><span><strong>Cats Outside the Clans<strong>

Raven- Long-haired black she-cat with a white chest tuft and tail tip. Has yellow eyes and large scars along her back. She also has nicks in both ears and a large scar across her left eye. A loner Fireblaze meets in the mountain.

Locke- Cream-furred spotted tabby she-cat with silver eyes. Has a very short tail and is a rogue found in the mountains.

Zero- Long-haired silver tabby tom with blue eyes. Is a kittypet with a purple collar.

Marley- Tuxedo tom with blue eyes. Is a kittypet with a green collar.

Pato- Long-haired orange-and-white tabby tom with green eyes. Is a kittypet with a black collar.

Iggy- Tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes. A rogue Fireblaze meets in the mountains.


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

A quiet calm swept over the glittery snow surface, as the icy smooth mountain trails led higher and higher into the skies above. Gripping each rock gracefully, an orange-and-white tabby ascended the mountainside—his long fur blowing in the breeze. The bell dangling from his thick, black leather collar echoed through the ice—reminding the young tom just how high he was up. Nimbly leaping from rock to rock, he gazed around him with enthusiasm in his bright green gaze.

Flicking his ears, he quickly looked down the slope—his two beloved twolegs not far behind. Quickly joining beside them on another rock, he purred as they stroked his soft fur. _Not much further now,_ he thought. _This was quite a hike!_ Propelling himself further up the slope, he raised his tail and took in the sight around him. From where they were, the forest below them was shrouded in a thin layer of mist. _This must be what birds feel like looking down!_

Turning to look at his twolegs, he sat beside them as they rested on a large boulder. Purring as they rubbed him, the tom couldn't have been happier. He quickly chased a small mouse under a rock, just barely catching it. Grunting disappointingly, his fur suddenly stood on end. _Did the ground just quiver?_ Tail straight up, he quickly looked around. The pebbles under his feet began to tremble, while the ground rumbled underneath. _The mountain, it's shaking!_

Gazing back at his twolegs, he realized they hadn't noticed. _Can they not feel it?_ He wondered, meowing to try and get their attention. They looked at him, just smiling and reaching down to stroke him. The tom quickly pulled away, meowing louder as the ground rumbled again. _No! You need to listen!_

Feeling more and more agitated, he let out a loud yowl as the ground began to quake. The twolegs yelled slightly, looking around with alarm. Standing, they called out to the tom and began to go back down the slope. _Finally! Let's get out of here!_ The tom thought with relief, running after them. Only a few moments after the first quake, another overcame the mountain, almost knocking them down the slope. Alarmed, once the tremors stopped, they began to move quicker down the mountain. As they descended, the tom suddenly noticed the sky above them turn gray. Stopping, he watched with curiosity as black snow began to float down towards them.

_Black snow?_ He wondered, watching the sky. _Just what is going on here?_ Hearing his twolegs calling him, the tom quickly rejoined them. However, just as they were getting closer to the foot of the mountain, the sky exploded. The tremors shook the ground violently, scattering the snow and pebbles down the slope. The tom yowled in terror as rocks tumbled down towards them, darting in different directions to avoid them. Gasping in terror, his eyes were wide with horror when he saw the mountain-top. Fire was bursting out of the mountain, shooting across the sky and into the forest below.

The tom quickly bolted towards the foot of the mountain, yowling as he kept losing his footing on the ice. Realizing now that he had lost his twolegs, the young tabby cried out as smoke began to pour after him. Pieces of hot ash shot down towards him, singing small pieces of his flank. Screeching in pain and terror, he kept running, before losing his footing and tumbling down the side of the mountain. Trying to desperately regain his footing, he felt his claws digging deeper and deeper into the icy stone.

Suddenly feeling the ground cave in underneath him, he yowled in terror as he slid off the side of the mountain—everything turning black.


	3. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

The sun shone high in the sky, the rays of sunlight shimmering among the snowy surface of the mountainside. Hawks flew overhead, riding the cool breeze—their dark shadows casting across the rocks below. The mountains were quiet, except for the icy breeze whistling through the ice. One of the hawks landed, plucking at the snow carefully.

Not far below it, a long-haired golden tabby burst out into the snow banks—three cats just behind her. Eagerly flicking her tail, one of the other cats—a light brown-and-white tabby tom—quickly leaped into the air. The hawk let out a screech of alarm, quickly flying into the air. The third cat—a blue-gray she-cat—quickly cut the hawk off, biting its neck. Furiously, the hawk flew higher, before getting clawed and dragged down by the fourth cat—a brown tabby tom. With one last feeble attempt, the hawk crashed into the snow, the third cat swiftly breaking its neck.

The first cat approached, her dark blue eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Great leap, Jaywing!" she praised, standing beside her friends.

Jaywing licked her lips, flicking her tail proudly. "Windsong helped," she added. "He helped to drive the hawk right into my claws!"

Purring, Windsong gave a brief nod. "Let's not forget that Birchfur helped to drag it down," he reminded.

Sniffing at the hawk, Birchfur looked up at them. "We all did a good job," he remarked, gazing at Fireblaze. "Your plan was pretty full proof."

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Fireblaze leaned down and went to grab one of the hawk's wings. "Let's hurry and get this back to camp," she muffled through a mouth full of feathers.

Laughing a little, Windsong grabbed the other wing in his teeth. Jaywing joined Fireblaze, Birchfur joining Windsong. The four cats carried the hawk, careful to avoid slipping on the icy pebbles and snow. As they approached a small crevice in the side of the mountain's rock wall, the four cats shifted so they could all squeeze in with the hawk. Quickly carrying the large bird through the narrow ice crevice, they managed to come out into a large clearing. Overhead, most of the clearing was covered by rock, except for the middle—which the sunlight was vibrantly illuminating the ice on the ground below.

Dropping the hawk near the center of the clearing, Fireblaze purred proudly. Despite living in the mountains, the clearing was mostly covered by a rocky ceiling—leaving little patches of grass and pebbles scattered along the ground. A cream colored tabby padded towards them, her lean and muscular body rippling across her smooth pelt. Birchfur greeted her, dipping his head respectfully as he quickly ran off to join his mate—Cinderfall—by a grassy patch of ground.

"Good hunting I see," the tabby remarked, eying the hawk with satisfaction.

"Yes!" Fireblaze commented proudly. "Windsong, Birchfur, and Jaywing did a good job catching it."

Jaywing flicked her tail over Fireblaze's muzzle affectionately. "_With_ Fireblaze's plan," she added.

The she-cat purred, slightly amused. "Well, either way I'm glad it was caught," she stated. "It should feed the elders well."

Fireblaze nodded. "Yes," she agreed. "Have the other hunting patrols caught anything, Heatherstar?"

Heatherstar gave a brief nod. "They managed to catch quite a few voles and mice," she mewed, pointing her tail towards the fresh-kill pile. "However, no birds of any sort."

_She seems really pleased! _Fireblaze thought excitedly. _What an honor!_

"Whoa!" a tiny dark brown tabby kit gasped. "That's a big hawk!"

Fireblaze laughed a little, and nudged him affectionately. "It sure is, Owlkit," she purred. "Why don't you go tell the elders? I'm sure they'll be pleased to know."

Eyes lighting up, Owlkit gave a quick nod. "Right!" he mewed, quickly running off towards the elders.

Jaywing laughed and nudged Fireblaze playfully. "So, when are you and Windsong going to have kits?" she asked. "Surely you both have talked about it?"

"Of course we have," Fireblaze rolled her eyes teasingly. "We just want to wait for the right time."

Snorting, Jaywing just looked at her. "Really now?" she asked. "Now would be the best time, while prey isn't so scarce."

Opening her mouth to argue, Fireblaze was suddenly distracted by a yowl. Turning around, she saw Windsong was beckoning to her with his tail. Giving a quick parting nod to her littermate, she ran over to join her mate. Pressing her muzzle into his chest fur, she purred happily.

"Quite a day, eh?" Windsong mewed. "That hawk will feed the elders for at least a few days."

Fireblaze looked up at him. "Yes," she agreed. "You three did a great job."

Licking her ear affectionately, Windsong turned to head back out. "Come on," he meowed, beckoning to her with his tail.

Following after him, Fireblaze kept close to her mate. It was normal for Windsong to go for walks outside of camp—often taking Fireblaze along with him. Though they didn't go far, it was still a very pleasant time for the young warriors. Quickly pacing ahead of him, she pounced down playfully.

"Race ya!" she challenged, bolting up a snow bank.

Laughing, she could hear Windsong following behind her. The cool breeze blew through her fur, while snow sprayed in every direction. The sound of pebbles echoed through the rocks, Fireblaze carefully leaping among them. Not far behind, Windsong followed gracefully—his golden eyes burning with determination. Pouncing onto another rock, Fireblaze pulled herself over the a small cliff's edge. She skidded to a halt, just before the cliff began to slope downwards. Windsong panted beside her, looking out into the sky ahead of them.

Just before them, the sunset shone brilliantly across the snow and ice. Below the tree-tops of the forest at the foot of the mountain, were almost covered by the mist. Stretching out around them, were multiple mountain peaks, all extending high into the sky above them. Feeling the frosty breeze blow through her fur, Fireblaze took a deep breath.

"No matter how many times I see this," Windsong started. "It's always just as beautiful as the first time."

Fireblaze nodded, smiling at him. "Definitely," she added. "It's even more amazing with you here beside me."

Windsong rubbed his head against hers, nuzzling her lovingly. Wrapping her tail around his, Fireblaze closed her eyes and took in his scent—burying her face in his chest. After a moment, she noticed Windsong's body tense. Blinking, she looked at him and then towards the sky. In a split moment, the sky had turned gray—black snow beginning to fall from the sky.

"Black snow?" Fireblaze wondered aloud, looking up.

Fur standing up, Windsong shook his head. "This doesn't feel right," he said. "Let's get back to camp."

Unsure as to why her mate suddenly felt alarmed, Fireblaze agreed and quickly followed him down the rocks. Gazing around her, the snow began to grow more and more intense—nearly blinding her in a sea of black mist. Just as they reached the bottom of the rocky slope, a loud explosion sent the two cats flying sideways. Screeching in terror, they both quickly got to their paws. Racing towards camp, Fireblaze heard loud crackling overhead. She ignored it the best she could, and darted into the camp entrance with Windsong right beside her.

The camp was in disarray, the cats all in panic over the explosions. Heatherstar quickly motioned for everyone to follow her, leaving through the camp's back exit. Among the fray of panicked cats, Fireblaze searched frantically for her littermates—Jaywing and Snowleaf—and her mother—Grayfeather. However, during the panic, Fireblaze soon found herself alone—Windsong no where in sight. Eyes wide in horror, she quickly followed after her Clan, but was knocked to her paws by another explosion. Unable to get up quickly enough, she felt the snow cave in from under her.

Yowling in terror, she swung her claws around frantically, trying to find any sort of hold. She landed on a pool of hard pebbles, and gazed around her. To her horror, the mountain above her was on fire—shooting thick clouds of lava and smoke out of the top. Feeling the ground rumble violently, Fireblaze took off down the mountain in panic.

_What in the name of StarClan is going on?_ She thought in horror. _Why is the mountain on fire? _Without warning, she was blown forward—spiraling down the side of the mountain. Gasping as her body violently hit the rocky surface numerous times, she blacked out—her body coming to a stop in an icy crevice.


	4. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

_It's so dark, _Fireblaze breathed, cold snow all around her. _Why? Where am I? _Feeling her body come to, the golden tabby quickly sat up. "Windsong! Jaywing! Snowleaf! Grayf-" she grimaced in pain, coughing heavily. Everything suddenly rushed back to her—the violent tremors, the fire, the smoke, and the cave in. _The Clan! What happened to everyone?_

Fireblaze slowly pulled herself to her paws, gasping loudly at the excruciating pain in her sides. Painfully turning her head to look at her sides, she noticed they were singed badly from the fire. Along her back legs, were painful gashes from the rocks as she fell. Her head hurt greatly, and she could tell that her front legs were badly cut as well. However, realizing that she could freeze from staying any longer in the darkness, she painfully limped forward.

With each step, Fireblaze let out a loud yowl of pain—her head throbbing. Determined to not let herself die alone in the dark, the warrior kept moving forward. Despite the pain, and fumbling about in the cold and darkness, she noticed a ray of light just ahead. Feeling hopeful for the first time in what seemed like forever, Fireblaze hauled herself towards the light. With one final heave, she pulled herself out of the cave, tumbling out into the snow. The light blinded her, as she looked around at her surroundings.

The ground around her was covered in snow, and it didn't take long for Fireblaze to notice she was on the other side of the mountain. Somehow, the explosion and wind managed to knock her far from the territories, ultimately saving her life. _But, what about everyone else? Did they manage to survive?_ She wondered, shivering from the cold. _Regardless, I need to find somewhere I can stay,_ she decided, gazing around her. In all directions however, were boundless fields of snow, ice, and rock.

Giving herself another heave, Fireblaze managed to get to her paws once again. Anguish spreading through her body like wildfire, she kept moving forward—determined to stay alive. Unlike the day before, the sky was calm and bright, giving little to no sign of what had just happened. Fireblaze could feel the sun beating down on her, reassuring her enough to keep her moving.

Moving through the snow, Fireblaze managed to cover a great distance before collapsing. Gasping for air, she looked around—hoping to find shelter nearby. To her relief, she saw an old fox den beside some boulders nearby. Using the last of her strength, she pulled herself to her paws and limped over to it. Once inside, despite the stench of old fox, she fell into some old feathers—falling fast asleep.

For a few days, Fireblaze was in and out of consciousness. Her body ached tremendously, and her mouth was as dry as the mountain air. After the third day of confining herself to the old den, the warrior finally mustered up enough strength to pull herself out of the den. Gazing around, Fireblaze could tell she was a long ways away from any nearby streams—and if there were any, they could be long gone by now. Gazing down at her wounds and burns, she sighed heavily. _These aren't going to heal any quicker if I don't try to eat or at least drink,_ she thought. _At least I have plenty of snow to quench my thirst for now._

Taking a pawful of snow, Fireblaze lapped it up graciously. Eating a bit more of the snow, she laid out her legs—the cold soothing the burns. _I have no water to keep these wounds clean, so the snow will at least help,_ Fireblaze noted. _It's the only chance I got. They have to heal quick enough, or I'm going to starve out here!_ Shifting her sides and legs, Fireblaze shivered as the cold seeped into her fur. To her amazement, she noticed a young hawk land not too far away—having just caught a small rabbit.

Taking this opportunity, she quickly pulled herself up. Ignoring the pain, she charged forward, swiping at the hawk clumsily. The hawk screeched at her, jumping back. Fireblaze snarled, hovering over the rabbit hungrily. The hawk watched her, its eyes gleaming in challenge. _That's right bird-brain,_ Fireblaze thought. _Back away, I know you'd rather not fight._ With one final leap, the hawk screeched and flew away—defeated. Tiredly, she fell over the rabbit, her energy just about exhausted. Purring a little with satisfaction, she grabbed the rabbit's scruff. Tugging the limp body back towards the den, proved to be much more effort than she had anticipated. However, once in the den, she dropped on the floor—the rabbit still hanging from her jaws. Letting it go, Fireblaze licked her wounds dry. Too tired to eat, she fell asleep once again.


	5. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Quite a few days had passed since Fireblaze had awoken in the cave, and her wounds were beginning to heal. She found herself able to travel further distances to hunt, and was pleased to discover a stream not too far away. The rabbit she had managed to steal from the hawk previously, fed her well for at least three days. Happy to be able to hunt again, she dashed through the snow banks—grateful to have her energy and strength back.

As she trudged onwards, she could hear hawks flying overhead. Gazing up at them, Fireblaze steadily followed in their direction. _Hawks always mean prey, _she remembered. _I follow them, and I'll be able to catch something easily._ Purring with enthusiasm, she followed the hawks across the mountain side. _Maybe I can find the others too,_ she thought hopefully. _I really hope everyone is okay._

Racing forward, she quickly skidded to a halt. Gasping, she looked down as pebbles scattered down a steep cliff. Looking up, she could see the forest spread out for miles in front of her—the hawks flying further and further away. Realizing this was a dead end, and she couldn't go any further, Fireblaze turned to head back. Feeling the cool mountain air whisk around her, she began to feel the ache of her wounds once more. _Mouse-dung! _She thought with a hiss. _My wounds are started to reach their limit. _

Shaking her head, Fireblaze realized she had to ignore the pain. Continuing forward, she tiredly limped in the direction of the stream she had recently found. Letting her front claws grip the smooth icy stones, she slowly climbed down into a ravine. Not too far away, the babbling of the water could be heard. Once at the bottom of the ravine, she slowly trekked up the slope on the other side. Losing her footing for a moment, she clung to the frozen grass and pulled herself up. Breathing heavily, she shook her fur and kept walking.

Sighing in relief, she smiled as reached the tiny stream. Lapping at the frigid water, she let herself relax. Flicking an ear, she heard an eagle screech overhead. Quickly looking up, she saw a mother eagle land in a nearby tree—feeding her little ones a vole it had caught. Watching them, Fireblaze felt a pang of sadness. _My Clan...will I ever see them again? Will I ever see my mother and sisters...__are they even __still alive? _She thought anxiously. _And Windsong...is he okay? Is he even looking for me?_

Staring down at the water, she looked at her reflection. Her long, golden tabby fur was unkempt—matted from the snow and ash. Her once white, front paws were gray with dirt and soot—while her dark blue eyes were heavy with exhaustion. _I look horrible, _she sighed. _But grooming has been the last on my mind these past few days. I need to worry about staying alive, for now. _

The eagle screeched again, nearly making Fireblaze fly into the stream. She quickly gazed up, her eyes wide in shock. A cream-furred spotted tabby she-cat was climbing the tree—and Fireblaze was shocked to see that her tail was barely a nub. Watching the she-cat curiously, Fireblaze could see boldness in her silver eyes. _Is she mad? _Fireblaze wondered. _Doesn't she know how dangerous eagles are? She's going to get herself killed!_

Taking a deep breath, Fireblaze quickly ran forward—towards the tree. The she-cat didn't seem to notice her, as her focus was on the nest above. Quickly putting her front paws up onto the tree trunk, Fireblaze yowled out to her.

"Hey!" she called. "You need to get down from there! Eagles are too dangerous to take on by yourself!" she warned.

The she-cat snorted. "Maybe for _you,_" she argued. "I'm perfectly capable of hunting an eagle!" she spat, her gaze still locked on the nest.

Uneasy, Fireblaze backed up as she watched her. _She isn't listening! _Fireblaze nervously paced the bottom of the tree. _If that eagle rakes its talons or beak across her face or back, she's crow-food!_ Holding her breath as the she-cat got closer to the nest, she watched as the she-cat climbed onto a branch close-by. The eagle watched her closely, screeching at her. Hissing, the she-cat swiped at the eagle's face, nearly falling off the branch. Gasping a bit, Fireblaze quickly looked around for something to cushion the stranger's fall with. Noticing a large branch from the tree, still full of the soft pine needles, she grabbed it in her teeth. _If she falls from that height, she's going to be sorry!_ Fireblaze quickly tried to heave the branch to where the she-cat was, but her body wasn't strong enough yet. _No! StarClan, please don't make me watch her die!_

Still trying to drag the branch, she could hear the eagle screeching overhead. Gazing up, she saw the eagle knock the she-cat back with its powerful wings—the tabby losing her balance and hanging off the side of the branch, her front claws dug into it. _No!_ Fireblaze pulled with all her might, ignoring the pain in her body. With one final heave, the branch jerked forward—just as the she-cat lost her grip from above. Holding her breath, Fireblaze watched in horror as she fell from the tree. Closing her eyes with a grimace, she heard the she-cat hit the branch, and slowly began to open her eyes.

She was still, laying on her side—eyes closed. Trembling, Fireblaze sniffed her carefully. Nudging her gently with her paws, the she-cat remained motionless. Body frozen with fear and shock, Fireblaze backed away slowly. _No...I tried to save her, _she thought tearfully. Closing her eyes, she lowered her head sadly. After a few moments, she heard a loud gasp.

Ears flicking up, Fireblaze shot up—looking at the she-cat hopefully. To her amazement, the she-cat slowly came to, coughing. _Oh thank StarClan!_ Fireblaze thought happily. _She's alive!_ Watching her, Fireblaze noticed the she-cat only had the wind knocked out of her for a few moments. Grateful to have found the branch, she happily watched the she-cat get to her paws.

"Are you alright?" she asked. "You really scared me for a moment!"

The she-cat sighed. "Yeah, I think so," she looked at Fireblaze. "I think I scared myself for a moment too!"

Purring, Fireblaze smiled at her. "I'm just glad I got the branch here in time," she said. "If I didn't..." she shuddered at the thought.

Surprised, the she-cat looked at her with wide eyes. "Wait, you put the branch here?" she asked. "Why would you try to save me? After I was so rude?"

Fireblaze shook her head. "It doesn't matter if you were rude or not," she said. "I can't just stand by and let someone die if I can do something. It's the way of the Clans to help others if we can."

"Clans?" the she-cat asked. "You mean those group of cats further up the mountain?"

Eyes lighting up, Fireblaze was suddenly hopeful. "Yes! Have you seen any of them?" she asked, hoping that they escaped the explosion.

Frowning, the she-cat shook her head. "No," she said. "I'm sorry, I haven't seen any cats since that horrible explosion. We'd be lucky to find at least one or two cats who survived."

Crushed by the thought of her Clan perishing in the chaos, Fireblaze lowered her head. "I-I see..."

"Wait, don't feel so bad!" the she-cat quickly added. "I mean, you survived! So I'm sure they might be others! Right?"

Looking up at her, Fireblaze gave a slight smile. "Yes, I suppose you're right," she said. "By the way, my name is Fireblaze. What's yours?"

"I'm Locke," she answered. "I was actually living here in the mountains with my mother, Iggy," she said. "But, we got separated when that explosion happened."

Fireblaze frowned. "I see," she said. "So that's why you're by yourself then. You seemed too young to be all alone."

Locke nodded. "Yeah," she said. "It was just my mother and I, up until a few days ago."

_How awful, _Fireblaze thought. _Her mother must be worried sick! She's about the age of an apprentice, so she isn't safe being all alone like this._ Thinking for a moment, Fireblaze gave a nod. "How about you travel with me for now?" she offered. "Just until we find your mother?"

The tabby's eyes lit up at her offer. "Really? You won't mind?" she asked.

Fireblaze purred. "Of course not!" she nodded. "You're far too young to be on your own like this, and I wouldn't mind the company."

Locke smiled and touched noses to her then. "Thank you so much!" she purred. "My momma will be really happy to know you kept me safe!"

Laughing a little, she just nodded. "Well, we should head back to my den," she said. "It's going to get dark soon, and we've got a ways to go."

"Right!" Locke smiled, bounding ahead happily.

Watching the young tabby, Fireblaze fondly remembered her Clan. For the first time since the explosion, she didn't feel so alone.


End file.
